Adam Kerr
The Phoenix Suns are clearly in a bad situation. With this year’s first being their last draft pick until 2031, it is championship or bust until they decide to deal off their stars for assets. Until then, however, nobody knows what is in store for Phoenix. Owner Matt Ishbia looked distraught during the game 3 loss, which means one can assume he will try to make a change or two in the offseason. Here’s a guide to what they might do, what they should do, and what they shouldn’t do.
Vogel is not the problem
The coaching situation with Frank Vogel may be turning out very similar to something the basketball world seen before. The Suns put together a squad with two top 15 players and a fringe All-Star on one of the league’s most lucrative contracts. They fill the rest of the team out with a few quality role players and veterans on minimum deals. The team isn’t deep enough, their stars are too redundant, and the team falls short of their championship expectations. Instead of looking at the construction of the actual roster, they blame their head coach, and he ends up out of the door prematurely. In both cases, the Coach (Frank Vogel) leaves and the team looks just as bad as before.
Much like the 2022 Lakers, who had LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook surrounded by aging veterans, it looks like the Suns are beginning to use Frank Vogel as the fall guy. Reports are coming out that some players couldn’t take him seriously and that his job may be in jeopardy this offseason. If they fire Vogel, their already bleak future looks even dimmer heading into a weak class of unemployed coaches. Vogel did the best he could with the squad given to him, and not many coaches couldn’t have even done that. Even with this being the case, there is a good shot Vogel gets scapegoated by Phoenix and hits the market again.
Change the Core
Phoenix’s top players of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal are among the most talented cores in the league. The problem lies in having half of the salary cap wrapped up in those three players. An even bigger problem than that is the worst of those three being on the biggest and least moveable contract. Now, it seems the trio isn’t constructed to win a championship. Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are very similar players, and one of them is always being forced to play a position they’re not supposed to play. Chris Paul was exactly the player this Suns team needed, even though moving him was justified since he is not the player he once was. However, the Suns need to bring in a playmaker and construct a more complete roster. The only logical way to do this would be to move one of the stars.
Looking at their needs, it makes the most sense to get rid of Bradley Beal. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are top players in the league, and they need to maximize their championship window while Devin Booker approaches his prime. The only problem is that Bradley Beal is not as good as his salary says. If they are somehow able to move Beal, that is the move that they should go towards. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are one of the few duos in the league that could be contenders without a third great player. However, it might just have to be Booker and Beal moving forward. Kevin Durant hasn’t had any problems with the Suns yet, but he’s going to be looking to get his third championship above anything. To do this, it may be more feasible to part ways with Phoenix. If they can get playmakers and role players better than before, it could put Booker and Beal in a better position to play their brands of basketball and take over like they haven’t before.
